Digital marketing is a planned approach that is ultimately geared towards gaining leads and clients. A very detailed thought process is put to use to achieve positive results. It’s not an easy task to succeed in the very first few attempts, but the experience definitely refines our thinking towards targeting audiences. There are few things which, when followed, help us to a great extent in our objectives. We interviewed 15 experienced entrepreneurs to share what they think are the most important things to consider in digital marketing. Contents:
- Know Your Audience (And Speak to Them)
- Content King, And It Still Reigns!
- Optimize Your Website
- Invest in SEO
- Create a Strong Social Media Presence
- Let Your Work Speak for Itself – CX in Digital Marketing
- Evolve Your Strategy
Here’s what they have to say:
Know Your Audience (And Speak to Them)
This seems like a no-brainer at this point, but you’d be surprised at how many entrepreneurs still fail to put this age-old wisdom to practice.
Chris M. Walker, CEO and owner of Page Generator Pro, says that for anyone to succeed in digital marketing, they need to have extreme clarity about what their niche is in this very vast space. “The potential of digital marketing is vast and endless. Hence, the best tip will be on how you plot the best use of it. Focus your digital content and campaigns on the needs and preferences of the market. Remember that you are selling to the people, so they must feel that you are giving sufficient and reasonable value to them,” he says. Leo Coleman, the Editor-in-Chief at Gambling ‘N Go, agrees. “Know that not everyone is a potential customer. That is why it is best to know who the perfect match to your business is. From there, you can easily customize content and ads for them,” he says. “In order for you to effectively market your business, you need to upgrade not just your products and services but also the tools that you need to connect with your customers. Create a good brand awareness campaign. Do it strategically. Keep in mind the consumers that you need to connect with. Think of how you want your brand to be viewed by them,” Matt Post, co-founder of Attorney Marketing Solutions, advises. “Attract more people to your business by focusing on what you can offer to answer the needs of your customers. Think of the best possible way for them to stick with your business, such as creating engaging content that encourages them to leave feedback and reviews,” he adds. Shannon Steinberg, SEO Manager at Allied Van Lines states that for small to large-scale enterprises, digital marketing has proven to be one of the most effective forms of marketing. It is imperative to enhance your digital marketing tactics continuously so your business can stay on top of trends or even follow them to ensure its viability in the marketplace. Here are some digital marketing tips you can apply to improve your strategies and grow your brand:
- Know your market. No matter how good your marketing methods are, your strategies will not succeed if you eye a different market. It is best to identify your audience so you can create your campaigns around their preferences for a guaranteed conversion and return on investment.
- Use email marketing to communicate with both present and potential customers. Informing old and current customers of new campaigns may convince them to support you once more. But to make them feel more special, allure them with the word “exclusive.” On the other hand, offering discounts and freebies to potential clients will pique their curiosity and draw them to your business. But make sure your email fits the people you are sending them to. One size fit all doesn’t work with email marketing.
Content Is King, And It Still Reigns!
It has often been said that “Content is King,” and Loran Marmes, owner of Medicare Solutions Team, agrees. “If you’re trying to get ahead in the online world, this may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many businesses out there just aimlessly create stuff without any real purpose,” he says. “Content has to mean something to someone. If you try to force-feed people with the information they aren’t interested in, they’ll leave. They have to feel some kind of pull towards what you’re offering them. This could be through personality traits, culture, or interests. If you can find a way to connect with them, especially in a memorable way, they might end up being long-term customers,” Marmes added, citing examples from his own website. “Create content that speaks directly to people. Take time to understand who your audience is and what they want from their businesses. Then create content that speaks directly to them in a way that makes sense for them (rather than trying to sell them something),” Kshitij Nigam, Chief Marketing Officer of Cheef Botanicals, adds. Brian Hong, CEO of Infintech Designs, chimes in, “Be mindful of your content. Make sure it connects to your audience and also make it more personalized and tailored to the needs of your target clients. Avoid generalized digital marketing content. Get the trust of your audience and build a good relationship with them.” Creating content doesn’t have to be rocket science, either. In fact the simpler you can make it, the better! As Coleman says, “Use simple words that best suit your brand. Avoid complex content. The goal here is to connect with all levels of consumers.” It is important to note at this point that content doesn’t necessarily mean text. As our experts point out, there is so much more to it, and the ultimate goal is to capture audience’s attention. “Use engaging graphics. People like graphics! They’ll really engage with them and remember them long after reading a text copy, which means that graphics are key for getting more clicks and impressions on social media posts or ads!” Nigam, owner of Findhealth suggests. “Invest in video ads instead of just text ads. Video ads are becoming more popular because they offer high levels of engagement—and they’re much cheaper than other types of ads! They also serve as great proof points for potential clients who might not know your brand yet,” Ankit Batra, Chief Marketing Officer of Hollyweed, says. Lastly, you can’t just put content out there, cross your fingers and hope for the best. Masha Mahdavi, co-founder of SEM Dynamics, emphasizes the need for consistency when it comes to content. “The more consistent you are with your content, the more likely it is that people will continue to come back for more.” Wesley Exon, CEO of RNtoBSNProgram, acknowledges that his go-to tip for marketers is to use a suitable marketing automation tool. It can help you identify potential problem areas that need to be addressed. It can help you considerably improve your branding because there is no one-size-fits-all strategy that applies to everyone. It will also help take some load off your back and allow you to focus on your digital marketing. Hence, it’s advisable to go the extra mile by using a marketing automation tool like HubSpot to make informed decisions. As per Rowena Kelley, Head of Communications and Brand / Riskified, we live in a world where having a website or online presence is crucial, as it serves as a window to the soul of a company. You should make sure that your website isn’t just displaying bland information but also has appealing colors and an aesthetic design. The website should be optimized for both mobile and desktop users, to help improve its accessibility. A mobile design should be simple yet responsive so that the visitor doesn’t have to wait for the site to load. In such a scenario, it’s likely that your site’s bounce rate will increase.
Optimize Your Website
“Create a great website. This is the first step to any digital marketing campaign, and will make all the difference in terms of your SEO. Your website should be easy to use and informative. Make sure your website has a clear call-to-action. People will only spend time on your site if they know what you want them to do, so make sure that your CTA is clear and easy to understand.” Bob Scott, Owner Sell land for cash says. “Update your website. This is one of the keys to effectively market your brand. Note that technology is fast changing, so you need to keep up with it. Invest in a good website design that will help boost your visibility in the market,” Lanny Tuchmayer, Bergellaw. Bytensky Shikhman business owners to keep up with the times by making their websites mobile-friendly. “If people can’t get to your website on their phones, they’ll go somewhere else where they can. And that’s not good!” he says. “Make sure your website works well on mobile devices. This means having a responsive design that looks good no matter what size device someone is using it on. You also need a fast loading speed so users don’t abandon their experience after just a few seconds of waiting around for something useful,” Daniel La Gamba, ldlaw advises.
Invest in SEO
Sam Browne, the CEO of HARO SEO, suggests that business owners take SEO seriously. To him, not paying attention to SEO is a critical blunder. “Establishing ways to enhance internet traffic to your company is a critical component of any firm, and the absence of SEO stifles such growth. When you don’t consult an SEO specialist, you’ll commit the most common digital marketing blunders. Thus, using SEO keyword research to increase your digital marketing strategies’ search engines help your company dominate the first page of search results and, in turn, generate profit,” he says. Louis John, the co-founder of What’s Good Online, agrees. According to him, “Boosting your social media’s search engines through SEO keyword research can aid your business to dominate the initial page of search sites, which is one of the most significant sources of digital traffic.” Micheal Barr, Chief Operating Officer at Teleleaf, suggests the following: “Optimize your website for search engines. Use the right keywords and phrases in your content and ensure your site is easy to navigate. You can also use pay-per-click advertising to get your website listed at the top of search engine results pages.”
Create a Strong Social Media Presence
According to Noah Cammann CEO of Cofes, “Social media is an important part of any digital marketing strategy, but it’s also very powerful. If used correctly, social media can help you reach new customers and even increase sales.” Rober Grin owner of NewCondosVaughan argues that there is no easier way to connect to your clients than social media. “Social media has been a great help to different brands to effectively market their business.” Post agrees. “A strong social media presence is a great way and opportunity for you to build meaningful connections while educating your consumers about your brand,” he says. “Your social media presence is an opportunity for people to learn about you and what makes you unique (as well as sometimes buy products from you). Don’t just post the same things over and over again; keep it fresh!” Nigam advises. “Create a strong presence on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and ensure you regularly share interesting and relevant content. Not only will this help you attract new customers, but it will also help you build brand loyalty among existing customers,” Barr adds. Batra believes social media is the key to digital marketing success because it is an unrivaled source of insight on customer behavior. “Social media is one of the best ways to connect with your audience and drive them to your site or app. It also gives you access to insights about their interests and behaviors that can help you craft even better content for them.”
Let Your Work Speak for Itself – CX in Digital Marketing
The role of customer experience in digital marketing strategy cannot be overstated. No matter how much you put yourself out there, if your service does not resonate with clients, you wouldn’t last long in any business. Focusing on your customer experience allows you to have your business sell itself to existing and potential customers. According to Corey Morgan, Marketing Director at Kind Home Painting,, “Utilizing customer experience to promote your brand is one of the best digital marketing strategies I believe everyone should try. The reason for this is because your clients are already entitled to an opinion the moment they acquire your service or product goods—opinions from clients, journalists, and experts that verify and market your credibility.” “Take advantage of the transaction that binds you and the client together. As they avail of your service, you can request customer reviews that not only give you an idea of what to do to improve your service but also promote your site’s traffic for every review that new customers can refer to when they encounter the brand. It’s a win-win situation—your client gets to experience your service, and you get to receive marketing material from your clients for free!” Morgan adds.
Evolve Your Strategy
Daniel W. Cook, the Head of Business Development at Mullen & Mullen, argues that a digital marketing strategy should always be evolving to succeed. “The best digital marketing can’t be static, it needs to change and grow with your business. You should use a combination of different channels for your digital marketing efforts. Social media is an important part of any marketing strategy, but you shouldn’t rely solely on social media as your only channel. Instead, you should use other channels like email marketing and paid advertisements as well to make sure that you’re reaching as many potential customers as possible with your brand message,” he says. Deepanshu Bedi, Marketing Director of Holistapet, acknowledges that the competition is tight when it comes to digital marketing, so the way you can differentiate yourself is by thinking out of the box. “First thing is to know your goal. What are you marketing for? How do you reach the right customers? Review and double check your current digital marketing strategies. Pinpoint the things that are not working, and also focus on the ones that give you optimum results. If you have found strategies that need more improvement, then make some changes ASAP. Deliberate with your team, how you can improve such areas,” he says. One way of evolving your digital marketing strategy is by exploring different ways in which you can promote your brand. For instance, Barr reminds us that email marketing is still the ultimate permission-based strategy. “Email is one of the most effective ways to reach out to potential and existing customers. Make sure your emails are engrossing and offer value, such as a discount or exclusive promotion,” he says. Meanwhile, Brian Hong, owner and CEO of Big Easy Roofing, also reminds us to shoehorn our digital marketing strategy to our budget. “I would recommend starting with your budget and then considering the best tools for each step of the process. If, for example, you’re looking to launch a new product, then you might want to use a tool like Facebook’s Insights or Google Analytics. If, on the one hand, you’re looking to make a change in your existing product, then I’d suggest using Firebase as a tool for testing new features before they go live.” These tips are just scratching the surface, though. There are still a lot of things that you will discover along the way in your digital marketing journey. However, the tips outlined here are simply the ones that move the needle much faster. They’re enough to get you started in widening your reach, increasing your leads, and driving sales and revenue to your business. Keep these tips in mind and watch your brand grow in front of your own eyes!
